A Fife teacher who used “deeply offensive and racist language” has been banned from the classroom for at least two years.
English teacher Donna Gilchrist used the N-word and mocked a pupil’s dyslexia while employed at Beath High School.
She also told a devout Christian pupil Jesus was gay.
And she played age-inappropriate videos in class, including a violent film containing sexist and other offensive terms.
Gilchrist, who taught at the school from December 2017 to January 2018, was struck from the teaching register in August, following a hearing by the General Teaching Council (GTC) Scotland.
And now the panel has ruled she cannot reapply until at least 2025.
Teacher’s behaviour was ‘deeply offensive’
A written judgement released by members this week said: “The panel considered that a shorter time period was inappropriate as the conduct found proved is very serious.”
Members said two years would give Gilchrist time to “reflect on her conduct and demonstrate insight”.
They added there was no indication Gilchrist had tried to remedy her behaviour, which it described as “extremely serious”.
And members described some of the materials used in her class as “potentially harmful and inappropriate”.
Meanwhile, the racist term used was “deeply offensive”.
Mocked fat people
Gilchrist upset colleagues, pupils and parents during her short tenure at the Cowdenbeath secondary school.
She was employed there for just 30 days but due to periods of absence, she spent only 17 days in class.
During that time, she also mocked fat people, and referred to a red-haired pupil as “the ginger one”.
Fife teacher struck off
And she played YouTube videos in class, one of which showed comedian Sarah Millican referencing masturbation.
Another depicted Russell Howard dressed as a penis.
And at one point, Gilchrist admitted telling a class an anecdote about buying a porn magazine for her husband.
Her behaviour reduced some pupils to tears and several reported her to senior staff.
The panel ruled the teacher’s conduct fell significantly short of the standards expected and she is therefore unfit to teach.
Conversation